Cradle having a removable crib



Dec. 19, 1950 w, 0. GossELlN 2,534,438

CRADLE HAVING A REMOVABLE CRIB Filed July 9, 1947 Zyl.

Patented Dec. 19, 1950 UN ITED STAT-Es PATENT oFFlcE .CRADLE HAVING A REMOVABLE CR-IB William 0. Gosselin, Ashland, Wis.

Application July 9, 1947, SeriallNo. 759,742

31Claims. l

The object of the present invention vis to pro-l vvide an `automaticelectric cradle. By the use of this device v.the eworkof the mother will be greatly reduced .since Athe .cradle will automatically rock vthe baby Ato sleep while the-mother'is free todo other things. Further the cradle may be con* trolle'd from the bed of the mother or even from -another room ithus making it unnecessary for 'the vparent to arise in the lnightto soothe a crying child.

.A 'further object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character comprising a fixed main frame and :an oscillating or zrockingzauxil .iary Vframe the latter being adapted to receive the legs of and vto vsupport conventionalrcribs of many different designs. Thus it .is not necessary for a user to 4.purchase a crib in order to get the advantages of this invention if he already has a crib. It is a primary object of the `present inven- 1tion to provide a structure of the character indicated which will be economical of construction and very quiet and easy in operation. I preferably construct the device in such manner that it may be made largely of wood, though I wish it to be vunderstood that the invention is not limited as lto the .nature of `the material .employed. However wood is relatively cheap, it v'is `easilyworkedfand it tends tovdeaden noises which would otherwise be present where the structure was made largely of metal.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of thel device of the invention with parts broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the structure of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a detailed View of a bracket constituting a apart of the connection for the rear end of the connecting rod, hereinafter described.

The Xed base frame comprises the side members 5 and end members 5. Upstanding posts 'l at the four corners of the base frame constitute supports for transverse rock shafts 8. Swinging links 9 hung upon these rock shafts are pivotally connected at their lower ends to longitudinally extending side frame members I on the oscillat ing frame. The members I0 are tied together by cross bars II and I2 the latter being disposed to receive and support the legs I3 of a conventional type of crib I4. The cross bars I may extend between and tie together the swinging links 9 at each end of the cradle. For imparting a relatively slow and gentle oscillation to the swinging frame and consequently to the crib I provide an electric motor I6 which drives through a belt I1 to a large, horizontally disposed, disc-like wheel I8.

..2 This wheel is preferably, though not necessarily, made of wood for reasons hereinbefore stated. It may be provided about its lower edge with-an outstanding flange I9 which constitutes a-guide for the belt and prevents the vbelt .from slipping downwardly from the wheel. A wrist Ypin 29.

The disc I8 is carried `by a vertical shaft v25v said shaft being journaled in suitable bushings 26 of bearing blocks 2:1,128 and 29. `'Ihese blocks are in turn supported upon across board il() said `board extending between and beingsupportedhy the side frame .members .of the -Xed base. .A conventional antifriction thrust washer .3| is dis-.- posed between the upper bushing -2li and a hubor collar 32 -of -therdisc I8. The belt IFI passes-over a small pulley 373 .that is fast on the motor shaft 34. The motor is supported by avbracket orstrap `35 said strap constitutinga sleeve 36 .said sleeve being mounted to turn upon an upstanding pinl said pin .in turn being .carried Y.by a flange 33. This ange is secured to a cross board 39 said board in turn extending between and being secured to the side frame members of the base. One end of a spring 40 is connected to the board 39 at 4I and the other end of a spring 40 is connected to arm 38 which extends from the sleeve 36. The function of the spring is to tend to swing the motor bodily toward the left in Fig. 2 to thereby maintain the proper tension upon the belt at all times.

The mounting and the connection for the rear end of the connecting rod is best illustrated in Fig. 3. Here it will be seen that the pivot pin 22 passes through horizontal arms 22a which project rearwardly from the vertical member 4 of the bracket. The pin 22 is bound securely in place by a lock nut 22h. An anti-friction thrust washer 22e is disposed between the upper face of the upper arm 22a of the bracket and a suitable bronze or other metallic bushing 21a of the connecting rod ZI. Spacing collars may be disposed between the inner faces of the posts 1 and the outer faces of the links 9 to hold the parts in proper alignment with each other. The shafts 8 may be mounted to turn in the posts I and the links may be xed to the shafts or the shafts may be fixed in the posts and the links may turnupon the shafts. This is an engineering detail and a mere matter of choice. I am aware of the fact that it has heretofore been proposed to actuate cribs by means of electric motors. However I know of no construction which will impart the same gentle and noiseless action to a crib yielded by the structure herein shown and described. Nor do I know of any structure in which a conventional crib may be mounted upon the device of my invention.

It is found that the light hum set up by the motor tends to have a soothing effect upon a baby much as though the mother were humming or singing to it. I wish it to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction herein set forth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a fixed base frame, a vertically disposed electric motor supported thereon, a pulley upon the shaft of said motor, a relatively large horizontally disposed disc rotatively mounted upon the base frame, a belt extending about said pulley and about the periphery of said disc, a rigid, rectangular crib carrying frame, comprising portions positioned to freely receive and support the legs of a freely removable babys crib, swinging links by which the crib carrying frame is mounted for oscillation with respect to the fixed frame, said crib carrying frame comprising transverse connecting members extending between longitudinally extending side frame members of the said crib carrying frame, a pivot mounted upon one of said transverse members, a connecting rod engaged with said pivot and a wrist pin carried by said disc with which the other end of said connecting rod is pivotally engaged.

2. In a device of the character described a fixed base frame member comprising longitudinally extending side frame members and connecting end members, a board extending between and supported by the side frame members at substantially the center of the base frame, bearing elements carried by said board, a vertical shaft supported in said bearing elements, a relatively large horizontally disposed disc upon said shaft, a second board extending between and supported by the side frame members of the base at a point toward one end of the same, means for mounting a motor for swinging movement in a horizontal plane and upon said board the latter being an electric motor of the vertical type, a relatively small pulley upon the shaft of said motor and lying in the plane of said disc, a belt extending about the pulley and about the periphery of the disc, upstanding posts at the four corners of the base frame, swinging links supported from said posts, a crib supporting frame carried by said links, a wrist pin carried by the disc, a connecting rod engaged with said wrist pin at one of itsends and means for pivotally connecting the other end of said connecting rod to the crib supporting frame.

3. A cradle swinging mechanism comprising a fixed rectangular base frame, a cribcarrying frame consisting of side and end members rigidly united to form a rectangular rigid frame, embodying members which present upwardly facing portions dimensioned and positioned to receive the lower ends 0f the legs of a conventional babys crib, upstanding posts at the four corners of the base frame, four links pivoted at their upper ends to the upper portions of said posts and at their lower ends to the said crib carrying frame in a manner to permit the latter to swing back and forth in the direction of its length, an electric motor, a disc driven from said motor and a connecting rod pivoted to the disk and to the crib carrying frame for imparting swinging movement to the latter.

WILLIAM O. GOSSELIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,450,635 Lacki Apr. 3, 1923 1,524,416 Waitekaites Jan 27, 1925 1,727,635 Crane Sept. 10, 1929 1,803,887 Barnes May 5, 1931 

